Disclaimer: SJM owns all, as we all know and love.

A/N: Yay! Another chapter not even 24 hours later! Yay for days off, right? I'm gonna go write some more once this is all posted. Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

It had been three weeks in total since Azriel had been taken. Gwyn felt like she was losing her mind. She barely ate, barely slept, barely spoke a word unless it was about how to find him. She was a mess and she knew it. What she didn't know was why his disappearance was affecting her this badly. Yes, they were close and she had already admitted to Nesta, and now Feyre, that she had feelings for him, but she still felt like she was missing something.

She paced around the room she was staying in at the River House. It was Azriel's room, actually. She had privately asked Feyre if she could stay in it until they found him. That way she could be close to everything while they were searching and…if she were being honest with herself, she wanted to be close to him while he was gone.

The High Lady had just smiled at her and told her that she was welcome to any room in the house. Of course, that had been when they'd had that little discussion.

Gwyn nodded her head in thanks. "I really appreciate it. I just really want to be close to everything while we're looking for him. It's hard for me to do that up at the House."

Feyre nodded. "I understand. Not having wings or being able to winnow makes transportation very difficult living up there. You're always more than welcome to stay here with us. Any time. It doesn't have to be during a crisis either."

Gwyn smiled at her, ducking her head. "Your kindness is much appreciated, Lady."

Feyre waved her off. "Oh, please. It's Feyre. None of that 'Lady' business. You're part of our group now. And…I have a feeling it's because of more than one reason."

Gwyn looked back up at her and raised one of her brows. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, La-…Feyre."

A smile slowly appeared on Feyre's face. "I think you do. You're my sister's best friend, one of her fellow Valkeries, but…I think there's something going on between you and Az. He hasn't said anything to any of us that I'm aware of, mind you. He never would. He's as close-lipped as they come. I think the only one who could get him to really open up is probably Cass. Maybe Rhys."

Gwyn shifted nervously in her seat. She looked down at her hands, fidgeting. "There's nothing going on between us."

Feyre narrowed her eyes for a moment, taking her in. "My guess is that you want there to be. That's why, or at least partially why, you're pushing so hard for us to get him back. Because you have feelings for him."

Gwyn snapped her head up, her eyes wide. She opened her mouth to object, but Feyre lifted her hand, halting her and smiled. "If I'm right and you do…I think you should tell him. Personally, I think you two would be perfect together. Rhys and I have been wondering ever since that night at Family dinner when things went down with Elain if there was something going on. We both agreed that we think it would be good for both of you. Your…light helps bring him out of his dark. Now, I don't know you very well and I don't know what you're still dealing with, but I'm sure the same could be said for you. I'm sure he helps in your healing. Nesta mentioned that he takes you on trips all over Velaris. That's something Az is good at. Pulling people back from their own darkness. He may be surrounded by shadows, but…when he's good and when he's in a healthy frame of mind…he doesn't live in the darkness."

Feyre looked back over to Gwyn, as her eyes had drifted around the room as she talked, and saw tears streaming down Gwyn's face. She leaned forward and placed her hand on top of hers comfortingly. "Hey, what's wrong? Was it something I said?"

Gwyn shook her head. "No. It's just…everything you said is true. I think he's wonderful and amazing and…beautiful. I love his shadows. But…when I went to tell him how I felt, when I finally worked up enough courage to come out with it and tell him…he had overheard a conversation between Nesta and I a few hours prior and misinterpreted it. He was upset, I could tell. He'd been punching that damn dummy for hours by the time I found him. I tried to come out with it and just tell him, but he wouldn't let me talk. He interrupted me and said that he just wanted to be friends and he was fine with that. And then he left saying he needed to get ready for a mission. I haven't seen him since. He's been on missions and then he got captured…it's been five weeks since I've seen him. I just…I really miss him."

Feyre nodded, squeezing her hand gently. "I know. We all do. Can I give you my opinion?"

Gwyn wiped the tears from her face and nodded. She was becoming increasingly closer to the High Lady. She would even consider her a friend. Feyre bit her lip, seeming to be thinking over her words before she continued. "The way he reacted to what happened…he's been through a lot. And I don't mean just with the burns on his hands and dealing with the wars, all that. I mean…in his romantic life, he hasn't had it the easiest. I'm sure he's told you at least some of it. I don't know what all you know."

Gwyn shrugged. "I know he used to have a thing for Elain, but obviously that's over with. I know something about how he used to have feelings for Mor."

Feyre nodded. "He pinned after her for five centuries with nothing in return. He had small relationships here and there, but his feelings for her never went away. Until…a few months ago we noticed the change. He started acting more normal around her and less…brooding. I spoke with Rhys about it and he said that had never happened. Not even amidst Az's other relationships. He had still harbored feelings for her, so he still brooded in her presence. But now…he treats her like any other member of the Inner Circle. And I think…we have you to thank for that. His feelings for Mor are finally gone, I can say without a doubt about that. But he definitely has his eye on someone else. And I think that someone is you. My assumption is that he assumed you were going to tell him you only wanted to be friends, just like Mor had, and he wanted to beat you to it and try to prevent himself another disastrous heartbreak. So…when we get him back, and we will get him back, find a good time to sit him down and make him listen to you. If you have to tie him to a damn chair, then do it. Although, that may not be wise after his current situation, but we can also make Cass or Rhys, or both, hold him down if we need to. He will listen to you. No matter what needs to happen to make that possible, we will make that conversation possible. If you need help finding the time, like getting everyone away for a bit, just say the word. I've been there. I've needed to have those conversations. Trust me, Az will be thankful we ganged up on him for this one."

Gwyn giggled and nodded. "Thank you, Feyre. This really means the world to me. Now I just need to figure out what to say…"

"When Emerie gets here, how about we find some time during a break to sit down with you, myself, Emerie, and Nesta…maybe Mor if you're comfortable with that, and we can hash out a battle plan."

Her answering grin was near blinding. "I'd love that."

In the weeks since, the five of them had indeed come up with her battle plan for what she was to do when she finally got some alone time with him. When she had spare time and wasn't thinking of ways to find Az, she was thinking of her strategy and different ways to phrase what she was to say to him.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She tugged Az's shirt over her head and tucked the longer ends into her fighting leathers. She'd taken to wearing his shirts with her leathers. She slipped her jacket on other top, but left it unbuttoned so that she could really catch the lingering scent of him on his shirt. She went downstairs where everyone minus Amren was gathered, half eating breakfast and half pouring over more reports and maps.

Feyre looked up as she entered the room, probably catching a whiff of Az's scent, and smiled at her. "Good morning, Gwyn. There's food in the kitchen. Why don't you go grab some and then join us?"

Gwyn nodded. She had started noticing that they were picking up on her habits. She would get too immersed in what she was doing and would forget to eat or she would wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night and come down to pour over the reports by candlelight. They had taken to placing food in front of her at random times, making her eat. During the times she found herself in the dining room at night, pouring over reports, one of them would 'happen' to come down for midnight snack. She was just grateful she had such great friends looking out for her and Az.

Gwyn grabbed a plate full of the delicious food Elain had made and found a place at the table next to Nesta. She reached over and grabbed a report to go over as she ate.

Seven hours later, they were still all gathered around the table. Their lunch plates had all been cleared away. Gwyn rubbed her palms into her eyes in frustration. "There has to be something of use here."

Cass grunted, leaning back in his chair and stretching his wings out from their cramped position behind him. "We've been at this for hours, pouring over the same reports over and over. If there were anything to find, we would have found it by now. This new king is scrubbing every trace of Az being over there clean. It's like there's nothing to find."

Rhys's head snapped up at him. "What did you just say?"

Cass shrugged. "There's nothing to find. Az has been missing for three weeks. He-."

"No…the new king…Maybe there's nothing to find because there really is nothing to find."

Feyre whipped her head towards him. "Rhys! What the hell?"

He shook his head slowly, pulling out a different map and laying it on top. This one showed more than just Hybern. "What if…Az isn't in Hybern? What if he hasn't been in Hybern this entire time?"

Mor leaned forward, resting her elbows onto the table, studying the map. "Okay, so then where are you suggesting he's been? On a vacation?"

Cass snorted, but Rhys shook his head. "In the last war, Hybern allied with Rask, Vallahan, and Montesere. What is to say this new king, whatever his name is, didn't maintain those alliances after the war and is using one of their dungeons to keep Azriel prisoner?"

Feyre leaned forward and started studying the map. "That's…Why didn't we think of this sooner? This makes more sense. The obvious choice would have been for Az to be in Hybern this whole time since that's where he went missing and there's only so many places on that island for him to be. But if he were to be taken elsewhere…to an ally's continent and hidden away…it would take us weeks, months…if ever to find him."

Gwyn's heart picked up speed. She had this feeling they were one stop closer to finally bringing him home. There was just one last piece of the puzzle missing. "There's one issue. Which continent is he on? Rask, Vallahan, or Montesere? And how do we figure that out without taking weeks or months? He doesn't have that kind of time left."

Feyre looked to Rhys. He was biting the inside of his lip, thinking every detail through, turning over every piece of knowledge he knew of those places. "I think that-."

Suddenly, his words cut off and his eyes glazed over. They all knew that look. Even Gwyn knew that look by this point. He was in someone's mind. They all stayed silent, letting him concentrate, watching him. It seemed like it took forever before he was reeled back into himself and his eyes were widening. His eyes snapped to Feyre's. "Where's Elain?"

She stood up straight. "In the kitchen, I think. Why?"

Rhys ran from the room. They all followed up, watching as he tore down the hallway and through the door into the kitchen. As they entered, he was standing in front of her. They had heard a dish fall to the floor and break a moment before he'd entered the room.

He was standing in front of her with his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. Her eyes were as wide as his. "Did you See that? Was that real?"

She nodded, still in shock. Feyre stepped forward. "Rhys, what is going on?"

He ignored her. "Did I see everything? Could you feel my presence?"

She nodded again. "Yes, I felt you right as it began. How-How did you know I would get one?"

He shook his head. "I didn't. I wasn't even reaching towards you. Maybe it was my close proximity and my need to find Az or…maybe the Cauldron is helping us out. Either way, I'll take it."

He turned from Elain and looked at everyone. "Elain had a vision. I think I know where he is, but we need to leave now. He can't hold on much longer. Grab what you need, quickly, meet in the foyer and we'll leave. Mor, I need you to stay here with Elain and Nesta just in case."

Before Nesta could object he shook his head. "No room for objections. You are the one who killed the king. If they went after him for it merely being his dagger, then they will not pass up the opportunity to hurt you if they can. I will not take that chance. We have too much riding on this as it is. I want the three of you here. Nesta, Mor, and Amren can guard Velaris and Elain will watch Nyx in our absence. Cass, Feyre, Gwyn, go gear up. Emerie…I'm leaving this up to you. You can't fly, but you're a kickass fighter. You can stay here and guard the city, which is still a very important job, mind you, or you can come with."

Emerie shook her head. "If you really need the help, I'll go. But if not, I'll stay and help Mor and Nesta."

He nodded. "I think we should be fine. We just need to get in, get Az, and get out. And we need to hurry."

Cass stopped in the doorway. "What's the urgency? I mean, I know he's being tortured and gone for 3 weeks, but…what did you see? Where is he?"

Rhys glanced back at Elain for a brief moment. "Az is in Vallahan. There was a flash of the snow-capped mountain range. Then a flash of a dungeon cell. Then…"

Rhys looked away, swallowing. He looked back, his eyes hardening. They could see his power shining through. "Az was strung up from the ceiling by chains. And the Hybern commander was coming after his wings."

Gwyn gasped, covering her mouth. She shook her head in horror. She ran from the room to grab her weapons. She vaguely heard Cass thundering up the stairs behind her doing the same. She grabbed the dagger holster Az had given her months ago and strapped it around her thigh. She strapped on as many weapons as she possibly could, not knowing what all she would need. She made it back down to the foyer right as Cass did. Feyre joined them a moment later, carrying a sword and sheath. She walked up to her smiled grimly. "When we trained, I noticed you don't have a sword. So…when I had a chance, I went out and got this one for you. For when we found him. And I had them make a sheath to attach to your back. That way you can still carry all your other knives and daggers, whatever else you want. This won't get in the way. Have you practiced with something like this before?"

She nodded, eyeing the beautiful sword. "Az was having me work with swords. He said I was getting pretty good with it. Almost as good as my hand to hand."

Feyre's smile turned genuine. She extended her hand and rested the sword in Gwyn's hands. "Here, turn around and I'll help you put this on. The first few times are always the trickiest."

Feyre was just finishing up getting the sheath on Gwyn when Rhys appeared, strapped to the teeth with weapons. His face was hard. "Is everyone ready?"

They all turned to him and nodded. Rhys held out his hands. Cass grabbed on to one and then turned to Gwyn who quickly latched her hand around his bicep instead. She wasn't about to let herself be dropped into nothingness. She heard him chuckle next to her as Feyre gripped her other hand. They were all in one big circle. They looked around at each other and took a breath, preparing themselves for what they were walking into. Mor, Emerie, and Nesta appeared in the doorway to the foyer.

Nesta's eyes locked onto Cass's. "Come home, please. I need my mate."

He nodded, a small smile on his lips. Mor looked around at all of them, her shoulders back. "Good luck, all of you. Bring him back. Alive. And please bring all of you back too."

Rhys nodded, "That's the plan. Okay, here we go."

Gwyn took a deep breath before blackness surrounded her as the winnowed away.

A/N: What did you think? I've been dying to put in that bit about Elain's vision and her Seeing Az and that's how they find him...Love it! This chapter was so much fun to write. And I think the next one will be too! :D Review! Until next time!